Rothschild board approves heavy equipment purchases for public works

The Village of Rothschild Village Board voted July 8 to approve the purchase of heavy equipment intended to support the Water Utility and Public Works Department.

Administrator Ryan VanDeWalle told the board the village had "set aside roughly $335,000.00 to purchase equipment that will benefit the water utility and public works department in assuring efficiency on main breaks, etc." The board approved buying a Fabick Cat wheel loader 938 for $253,476.00, a Fabick Cat mini excavator 310-07 for $151,872.00 and a Trail King TK40LP trailer for $31,675.00.

VanDeWalle said the trailer’s additional, roughly $12,000.00 needed would be purchased with borrowed funds and that wheel-loader funds would be invested until December 2024. The purchases were presented as part of planned 2025–2026 borrowed-funds spending. The equipment was described as intended to improve response and efficiency on utility main breaks and other public-works tasks.

On a motion by Rex Zemke, seconded by Dan Mortensen, the board approved the purchases. The motion was "questioned and carried" with a recorded outcome of 7-0.

Votes at a glance from the July 8 meeting: approval of prior minutes (motion carried 7-0); authorization for the administrator to gather details on deer culling (motion carried 7-0); approval of equipment purchases (motion carried 7-0); motion to adjourn to closed session (roll call 7 Aye); reconvened to open session with no action taken (motion carried 7-0); final adjournment (motion carried 7-0).

The board did not provide a firm price quote for contractor culling or other services discussed elsewhere on the agenda; administrators will return with additional information as requested.